An Author's Notebook: Cornwall: holiday haven

Sometimes you don't realise you need a break until you're sat on a beach in the sunshine, thinking thank goodness. This was me last week, staying in Cornwall with extended family. It was a celebration of my sister-in-law's birthday but also a much needed holiday.

Port Isaac, a former fishing village

After driving down through the madness of half-term traffic, we arrived in a different land. Here, the sun shone and the sea glistened. Every pore in my freckly pale skin peeled open to soak up the vitamin D. It was bliss. After months of rain and unseasonal chilliness back home, summer had finally arrived.

Taking a holiday these days has become a rare, exotic thing. Lockdown has forced us to reevaluate many aspects of our lives. Nothing like a little deprivation to make you appreciate sweet pleasures such as family reunions, distant friends, hugs and HOLIDAYS.

Good weather on the British coast always makes you wonder why you ever bothered to board a plane for foreign climes. Bathed in sunshine, north Cornwall is a mythical place; the rugged tail of England characterised by rocky coves, green sea and breathtaking clifftop views. Even in the mizzle, it retains its wholesome vibe: a place to bodyboard/surf, ramble or contemplate the wonders of nature. All that fresh air and expansive sky makes it feel almost spiritual.

Wild flowers

Credit: Will Lam

Locals must dread the influx of tourists each year, but I hope they forgive us in time. We trample the coastal paths for only a few fleeting days before we're back on the A30 heading homewards. And we've endured eight dreary, wintery months for this! So excuse us while we set up camp on your beaches and ride the waves in our wetsuits, bobbing in the sea like basking sharks. It's for the good of our mental health, you see.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: holidays are holy. A chance to press pause and recharge. With most of the world closed off right now, thank goodness for Cornwall and other havens. In times like these, we count our blessings - people we love, airy sunshine and visits to the sea.